If our customs officials are anything too go by our bikes will be replaced by various middle eastern looking chaps hiding in our bike bags instead of bikes
That sounds cheap Meldy! Do we have to ride a little distance on your broomstick!
For what it's worth I plan to go out a little earlyier for some 'warm weather' training on hills, staying at a friends place who lives three hours short on Nice. Having a 'van' I could fit a few bikes in. But you'd probably be without your bike for a month before the event!
I've booked flights with BA from LGW, via Expedia for £106 return. Flying out Thurs, back on Tues. Seemed quite reasonable and think I can take bike in box as my checked bag.
I may well drive down..... if I do, will have space for additional bike or two in return for appropriate supply of a couple of brewed products or so...
lets be honest.... its all prep for an Ironman on my 100th birthday
If I remember rightly it was Rafi who looked into it and, like Meldy or the Stoat said, your bike doesn't travel with you on the train, it goes separately. Though I have been on holiday to the Pyrenees with people who did take their bikes on the train with them, so I'm still a little confused by that.
I've done the big van of bikes thing too. We took 40/50 of them when my tri club did Challenge Copenhagen. It worked well but is potentially fraught with issues. I'm not entirely sure the bikes were really insured and there may have been customs issues (they were not stopped).
I've driven to Nice and I hated it. I also think it works out as very expensive once you add up fuel, ferry, tolls and parking. There's a big car park next to the Ibis and you can pay for a period of time rather than daily but I still think it was 50/60E to park there.
No, Siggy, there is no hotel parking (as stated on their website) but there is a big car park next door as it's also next to the train station. The lift is right by the entrance to the hotel. It's just very expensive! I suspect it's the French equivalent of the NCP car park. They had a rate per day but also you could by a pass for XX number of days which was cheaper and that's what we did. I could probably look up how much it cost quite easily because I drove down their for the race so I'll be able to find the credit card bill for the appropriate month if you want me to?
In fact, I've just had a google and it was this car park (if the link works) and the page gives you the rates.
This IM lark could be a bit pricey then! I've recently got my bill for the toll roads on the way back from Marseille. £82! Plus the diesel to get down there (two tanks full each way at £100 each tank!) So it's looking like nearly £400 to drive there and back plus the hotel on top! Then if my kids and Madge come out to support that'll be 3 flights out and 1 back! The kids will come back with me via my mates place, but Madge will need to get back to sort out her daughter for school etc..!
Perhaps I'd better find myself a job to supplement my pension!
Yep. It would certainly be worth driving if you had the boys and Madge in the van with you but it's not a cheap exercise doing it alone for sure. I seem to recall it costing us between £400/£500. I'm thinking the tolls were £90 when we did it. Fat Buddah knows of a website (you may know one yourself) where you can route plan and work out the tolls.
I've got one of those SANEF auto blippers that lets me through the tolls quicker, avoiding the queues and without having to open the passenger window or run around outside whilst the Frogs beep their horns, but no discount sadly!!
Nah, the Pointy End is sorted if a certain someone actually gets himself sorted to train, doesn't get pissed up the night(s) before and actually performs to his ability.
That's my considered opinion anyway and I know these things I do.
LIttle Sister Prince Siegfried bh ex-flyer OC Rafi Funkin Avalaf Whizkid Barley flyaway Magna Carter Hope Garr Ilangy Golden Boots MM Cpt.Jack Sparra Timebikes Ridgebackmax
Comments
If our customs officials are anything too go by our bikes will be replaced by various middle eastern looking chaps hiding in our bike bags instead of bikes
The broom of doom to Nice
Flat Footed wrote (see)
And I thought I was treading on thin ice!!
I've booked flights with BA from LGW, via Expedia for £106 return. Flying out Thurs, back on Tues. Seemed quite reasonable and think I can take bike in box as my checked bag.
I may well drive down..... if I do, will have space for additional bike or two in return for appropriate supply of a couple of brewed products or so...
If I remember rightly it was Rafi who looked into it and, like Meldy or the Stoat said, your bike doesn't travel with you on the train, it goes separately. Though I have been on holiday to the Pyrenees with people who did take their bikes on the train with them, so I'm still a little confused by that.
I've done the big van of bikes thing too. We took 40/50 of them when my tri club did Challenge Copenhagen. It worked well but is potentially fraught with issues. I'm not entirely sure the bikes were really insured and there may have been customs issues (they were not stopped).
I've driven to Nice and I hated it. I also think it works out as very expensive once you add up fuel, ferry, tolls and parking. There's a big car park next to the Ibis and you can pay for a period of time rather than daily but I still think it was 50/60E to park there.
Do you know if the Ibis has a 'customer car park' Mouse?
No, Siggy, there is no hotel parking (as stated on their website) but there is a big car park next door as it's also next to the train station. The lift is right by the entrance to the hotel. It's just very expensive! I suspect it's the French equivalent of the NCP car park. They had a rate per day but also you could by a pass for XX number of days which was cheaper and that's what we did. I could probably look up how much it cost quite easily because I drove down their for the race so I'll be able to find the credit card bill for the appropriate month if you want me to?
In fact, I've just had a google and it was this car park (if the link works) and the page gives you the rates.
http://www.interparking-france.com/en/find-parking/ParcGareNiceThiers/
This IM lark could be a bit pricey then! I've recently got my bill for the toll roads on the way back from Marseille. £82! Plus the diesel to get down there (two tanks full each way at £100 each tank!) So it's looking like nearly £400 to drive there and back plus the hotel on top! Then if my kids and Madge come out to support that'll be 3 flights out and 1 back! The kids will come back with me via my mates place, but Madge will need to get back to sort out her daughter for school etc..!
Perhaps I'd better find myself a job to supplement my pension!
Yep. It would certainly be worth driving if you had the boys and Madge in the van with you but it's not a cheap exercise doing it alone for sure. I seem to recall it costing us between £400/£500. I'm thinking the tolls were £90 when we did it. Fat Buddah knows of a website (you may know one yourself) where you can route plan and work out the tolls.
Siggy - don't you get OAPs rates for tolls and things
and talking of big kids!!
I've got one of those SANEF auto blippers that lets me through the tolls quicker, avoiding the queues and without having to open the passenger window or run around outside whilst the Frogs beep their horns, but no discount sadly!!
Talking of bikes and vans, Ironmike took a load in a transit to Austria which worked out ok if I remember ..albeit not quite so far down the continent
I have bagsied a spot in a car for my bike if that works out ok then I may well try the Broom of Doom ..
Who's going to be??Nice:??(entered)
LIttle Sister
Prince Siegfried
bh ex-flyer
OC
Rafi
Funkin
Avalaf
Whizkid
Barley
flyaway
Magna Carter
Hope
Garr
Ilangy
Golden Boots
MM
what have you lot got me into?
Another one bites the dust
Any nightclubs near the hotel?
I've tallied up a fair few BA flights back and forth so managed to get return flights for about £20 and a small amount of airmiles So I'm a happy man!
I'm in !!! Just paid and registered
LIttle Sister
Prince Siegfried
bh ex-flyer
OC
Rafi
Funkin
Avalaf
Whizkid
Barley
flyaway
Magna Carter
Hope
Garr
Ilangy
Golden Boots
MM
Cpt.Jack Sparra
LIttle Sister
Prince Siegfried
bh ex-flyer
OC
Rafi
Funkin
Avalaf
Whizkid
Barley
flyaway
Magna Carter
Hope
Garr
Ilangy
Golden Boots
MM
Cpt.Jack Sparra
Timebikes I'm in bought that bloody ironholgs book got carried away..
Ha! Ha! He has got a lot to answer for!
Is it just me or does anyone else here Freddie Mercury singing 'Another one bites the dust, and another one ...'
Just entered could some nice competent person add me to the list
The Pirate Crew
LIttle Sister
Prince Siegfried
bh ex-flyer
OC
Rafi
Funkin
Avalaf
Whizkid
Barley
flyaway
Magna Carter
Hope
Garr
Ilangy
Golden Boots
MM
Cpt.Jack Sparra
Timebikes
Ridgebackmax
Are we nearly there yet ??
Training must start soon, doesn't it??
Training?????? no one told me i'd have to train......
Its ok MC . nothings changed
I ran five miles todsy. Can I start my taper now?
WTF are you douing posting at that time of the morning
and NO, you cant
Couldn't sleep